Spider-Man: No Way Home

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME
2021 | Dir. Jon Watts | 148 Minutes

"That's what we do."

After Peter Parker's double life as Spider-Man is revealed to the world, disrupting the lives of Peter and his loved ones, Peter seeks aid from Dr. Strange in hopes that magic would solve his problems. Peter's troubles are only compounded when he inadvertently causes Strange to botch the casting of a spell, and visitors from other worlds of the multiverse emerge intending to do harm to Peter Parker.

Jon Watts' Spider-Man: No Way Home kicks off directly after the cliffhanger ending of his previous film, thoroughly demonstrating all of the frustrating repercussions suffered by Peter Parker and those closest to him due to his new status not only as a public figure but also an accused murderer. However, soon after its opening act, the picture quickly becomes an exceptionally satisfying epilogue to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as well as Marc Webb's pair of Amazing Spider-Man movies starring Andrew Garfield. Resurrecting the headlining villains from each of those five films through mystical multiversal shenanigans, the feature gives each of these antagonists more closure than the deaths that previously concluded their character arcs. The innate good nature and desire to help those in need within Tom Holland's Peter Parker are tested like never before as his attempts to save this colorful assortment of rogues from certain doom, against the wishes of Dr. Strange and perhaps against better judgment, leads to the greatest personal loss Peter has ever suffered. Luckily, this Peter Parker isn't alone as a duo of familiar variants, webslinging heroes who truly understand the plight of Spider-Man better than anyone in his universe, arrive in his darkest hour to guide him through his grief and ultimately help him become the best version of themselves. The emotional impact of this film is simply extraordinary and the metatextual commentary on the relationship between the previous live action Spider-Man films and the Marvel Studios films is, in a word, mind-blowing. While there is no formal recap for any of these extra-dimensional Spider-Bros and Spider-Foes, even audiences who aren't familiar with their previous adventures are given enough context to understand and appreciate what they represent.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a visual treat from start to finish. The big set pieces that involve magic are at least as trippy as the ones featured in Doctor Strange, notably a psychedelic chase and battle between Peter Parker and Dr. Strange in the Mirror Dimension and the horrifying moments that show the seams of the multiverse coming apart. The more grounded action sequences are entertainingly staged and rendered as well. Memorably, Otto Octavius and his iconic metal tentacles arrive in an exciting fight on a highway bridge, while Max Dillon and Flint Marko meet a Peter Parker they never knew in a dazzling electrical night time battle in a forest. The high-flying action-packed finale at the Statue of Liberty undergoing an MCU makeover is full of thrilling twists and turns as the trio of Spider-Men work together to heal their enemies or die trying.

Delivering a nuanced and devastating performance, Tom Holland has never been more moving in the role of Peter Parker as his character loses so much that is dear to him by the time the credits role on this film. Andrew Garfield is as charming as ever in the same-but-different role, funny and very personable but exuding a different variation of heartbreak all the same as his Peter Parker still suffers from the loss of his one true love. Tobey Maguire still gives off a pleasant humility, presenting a soft-spoken air of decency that's unique to his take on Peter Parker. The interactions between the three Peters are often hilarious but always emotionally resonant.

Willem Dafoe shines as Norman Osborn, skillfully walking the tightrope of being convincingly sympathetic and pitiable but also deceptive and just straight up wicked. Elevating the role with real gravitas as he did eighteen years prior, Alfred Molina's indignant mad genius Otto Otavius remains one of the very best Spider-Man film villains. Jamie Foxx's Max Dillon receives a much deserved visual and personality makeover as Foxx plays a markedly funnier and more menacing evolution of his character from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Though rendered as CGI creatures for most of the film, Rhys Ifans reprises his role as the Lizard Dr. Curt Connors from The Amazing Spider-Man and Thomas Haden Church returns as the Sandman Flint Marko from Spider-Man 3.

Returning as MJ, Zendaya thrives as the role grows into a more full-fledged character. Jacob Batalon's Ned is more amusing than ever as Batalon gets to show off more of his comedic talent with Ned developing unexpected magical powers. Unbelievably warm and soulful, Marisa Tomei firmly establishes her position as the best cinematic Aunt May. Making his latest appearance as Stephen Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch essentially makes an extended cameo appearance as the cranky impatient voice of reason.

As both a significant turning point in the ongoing narrative of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Peter Parker and a metatextual work that fascinatingly examines every live action Spider-Man film since 2002, Spider-Man: No Way Home is miraculously a total triumph. Not only does it pack all of the humor and spectacle that Spidey fans would expect, the feature is also a deeply affecting, surprisingly intimate film that places Peter Parker's empathy as a hero front and center. At its core, Tom Holland's third solo outing as Peter Parker pulls no punches exploring the inherent tragedy of being Spider-Man.

MID-CREDITS STINGER
Otherworldly visitors Eddie Brock and the alien symbiote attached to him known as Venom (Tom Hardy) learn about the super-beings inhabiting this world and recent universe-shaking events from a Mexican bartender. Just as Eddie decides to travel to New York City to meet Spider-Man, Dr. Strange's spell transports him back to his world but not before he leaves behind a piece of symbiote.

POST-CREDITS STINGER
A teaser for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.


FRAGMENTS
- With Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk appearing on Disney+'s Hawkeye and Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock appearing in this film, both having first appeared in these roles on Netflix's Daredevil (which may or may not be considered official MCU canon), I sure hope Jon Bernthal eventually returns as Frank Castle

- Tough he isn't in this film for more than a quick scene, I just love how Wong is revealed to be the current Sorcerer Supreme post-Blip

- Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland's Peter Parkers insisting that Andrew Garfield is an "amazing" Spider-Man is hysterical, as are Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland's Peter Parkers astonishment about Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker's organic webbing

- The scope of Michael Giacchino's score for this film is totally bonkers in the best way, featuring his own Spider-Man and Doctor Strange themes as well as themes composed by Danny Elfman for Sam Raimi's Spider-Man and James Horner for Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man

- Max Dillon's quip regarding the potential existence of a black Spider-Man out there is a not-so-subtle but crowd-pleasing reference to Miles Morales, prominently featured in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequels

- It's unclear why Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock from Sony Pictures' Venom films was drawn into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as only those who knew Spider-Man's true identity as Peter Parker were summoned by the botched magic spell though it's possible the Venom symbiote attached to him carries knowledge that transcends the multiverse

- Cristo Fernández who portrays Dani Rojas on Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso was a welcome sight as Tom Hardy and Venom's scene partner in the mid-credits stinger

Eternals

ETERNALS
2021 | Dir. Chloé Zhao | 156 Minutes

"When you love something, you protect it. It's the most natural thing in the world."

An all-powerful cosmic entity sends ten immortal beings to planet Earth to protect the human race from ancient monstrous extraterrestrial beasts. Thousands of years later, the ten learn the true nature of their mission, forcing each one to choose between fulfilling their intended purpose or preventing the mass extinction of the people they have grown to love.

Chloé Zhao's Eternals features a massive scale story spanning thousands of years, breathtaking visuals photographed with natural lighting at real physical locations, and a diverse ensemble cast embodying an entire spectrum of incredible talent. While all of this sounds amazing on paper, and Zhao clearly demonstrates total commitment to the project judging by the technical merits of the feature, astoundingly the end product is a bit of a convoluted mixed bag that is sometimes a chore to sit through. Essentially establishing a brand new quadrant of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from the ground up with only the most tangential of connections to previous films, the feature's ambition is nothing short of admirable. However, the exposition required to introduce an entire set of brand new characters and concepts all at once is absolutely overbearing, greatly hampering the pacing of the film as it choppily jumps back and forth from ancient past to present day to deliver sometimes confounding world-building and character moments that are serviceable at best and somewhat dull at worst. Perhaps the largest issue is that the story lacks anything resembling a meaningful emotional core despite taking great lengths to sell the troubled romance of its two primary lead characters Sersi and Ikaris. Thematically, Eternals pits the notions of driving purpose and faith in a greater design against free will and profound compassion, which is an intellectually stimulating conflict in its presentation but never quite succeeds in eliciting a visceral response of any kind.

Eternals is a stunning picture to behold for sure, a welcome departure from Marvel Studios' sometimes rote standard visual style, presenting numerous striking exterior locations bathed in natural light. The scale of the action sequences are awe-inspiring, the superpowers wielded by the film's lead characters are visualized and realized in ingenious ways. Sersi's ability to transmute inanimate materials, Makkari's super speeed, and Thena's energy blades are particularly impressive. The visual effects are reliably appealing for most part, but the creature designs for the Deviants leave much to be desired, every single one including the lead Deviant looking like nothing more than an ugly digital mess of haphazard limbs and appendages.

As Sersi, Gemma Chan delivers the most sympathetic performance of the large cast, convincing in the role of a kind-hearted caretaker reluctantly inheriting on the mantle of leadership. Richard Madden as generally fine as the broody conflicted eye beam shooting Ikaris, his performance perhaps limited the script. While Lia McHugh is compelling as the embittered perennially youthful Sprite, doing a decent job conveying the character's weariness, the role is unfortunately pretty one-note overall. Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo is the life of the party, injecting the picture with a boost of energy and much-needed levity, though he is noticeably absent for the entire final act of the film. Angelina Jolie serves up the most exciting action of the group as the energy blade slinging Thena even as the character's thinly drawn arc of managing a certain level of metaphysical mental illness is woefully underserved. Don Lee's hard-hitting Gilgamesh serves mostly as a supporting role to Jolie though he at least has some of the best lines. Barry Keoghan exudes pure menace as the mind-controlling Druig, the first to question the Eternals mission on Earth, easily the most fascinating player of the group despite his limited rather screen time. Brian Tyree Henry is simply lovable as the enthusiastic herald of technology Phastos and quite believable as a mild-tempered family man. Lauren Ridloff is a real joy as Makkari, and the film doesn't give her nearly enough to do. Though her role amounts to what is essentially an extended cameo, Salma Hayek is a natural fit as team leader Ajak, emitting a regal and unconditionally affectionate presence. Kit Harington appears very briefly as Sersi's boyfriend Dane Whitman, amusing enough as the odd man out, while Harish Patel is truly hilarious as is Kingo's sidekick Karun.

Eternals is undeniably the first significant stumble for Marvel Studios in years. Despite the considerable breadth of talent in front of and behind the camera, its meandering pacing and leaden exposition very nearly undermine all that is fascinating, unique, and daring about the film. It is a frustratingly flawed introduction to a set of incredibly likable characters struggling with faith and free will. With any luck, Sersi and company will be involved in more engaging adventures in their next appearance.

MID-CREDITS STINGER
Onboard their spaceship, Thena, Makkari, and Druig grow concerned as they have lost communication with their companions on Earth. Before they are able to turn back, Pip the Troll (Patton Oswalt) and Thanos' brother Eros (Harry Styles) unexpectedly appear before them.

POST-CREDITS STINGER
Dane Whitman examines an ancient family heirloom, a black sword with a foreboding enchantment, hesitating to lay a finger on it. As Whitman approaches the blade, he is interrupted by an unseen character who questions his resolve.

FRAGMENTS
- Gemma Chan previously appeared in Captain Marvel as the villainous Kree sniper Minn-Erva

- The needle-drop of Pink Floyd's "Time" leading into the Marvel Studios logo took me by surprise in the best way

- Super amusing to see Game of Thrones alums Richard Madden and Kit Harrington as romantic rivals though they only share one scene together in this film

- I've loved Kumail Nanjiani as a comedian and podcast personality for years so it's truly thrilling for me to see him in the MCU

- My first exposure to Don Lee was his fantastic performance in the seminal zombie film Train to Busan

- The direct references to DC Comics' Batman and Superman in the dialogue aren't all that jarring to me, though the notion Marvel Comics' de facto rival exists as a media company within the MCU is more than a little bonkers

- I was honestly a little shocked that Richard Madden's Ikaris turns heel instead of Barry Keoghan's Druig given Keoghan's tendency to play shifty characters and Druig's incredibly creepy super power

SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
- Video: Lexus and Marvel Studios' Eternals present | PARKING SPOT

No Time To Die

NO TIME TO DIE
2021 | Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga | 163 Minutes

"We both eradicate people to make the world a better place. I just want it to be... tidier."

When a scientist developing a potentially apocalyptic virus is abducted from a secret MI6 lab, Felix Leiter convinces James Bond to come out of retirement. Facing the abandoned love of his life and an MI6 that has decidedly moved on without him, Bond is tasked with saving the world from the whims of a delusional mad man one last time.

Cary Joji Fukunaga's No Time To Die is an unprecedented James Bond film in a multitude of ways. Save for a brief, jaunty excursion to Cuba where Bond partners with a gorgeous and extremely competent junior CIA agent, Fukunaga's picture trades nearly every last shred of the carefree escapist adventure that defines much of the Eon Productions' flagship franchise for a poignant tale of high stakes espionage that sheds all of the glamour from the life of the premier debonair superspy. Daniel Craig's final outing as Bond brings the character arc of his unique take on the British agent to its natural conclusion, one that's equally tragic and heroic. True to the rougher, more grounded characterization of Craig's Bond introduced in Casino Royale, this significantly flawed, deeply emotional modern version of Ian Fleming's unapologetically hard drinking, womanizing hero was never going to simply ride off to a seemingly happy ending with a beautiful woman in his vintage Aston Martin DB5 as depicted in the final moments of Spectre. Poetically, Bond lives a life beset by distrust and death, and in this grand finale, he finds that he has no choice but to make the ultimate sacrifice to preserve new life in the name of love and duty. While intellectually stimulating, whether or not this all works as a film is absolutely up for debate. The serialized nature of Craig's tenure as 007 necessitates this final installment to address and conclude various storylines introduced in previous films, particularly the ones centered on Blofeld and Madeleine Swann returning from Spectre, requiring audiences to have a working knowledge of this Bond's previous adventures and inflating the length of the picture to nearly three unwieldy hours. Luckily, No Time To Die is as slick and objectively entertaining as most of the better films in the series.

Photographed with real panache by Swedish cinematographer Linus Sandgren, the action sequences featured in No Time To Die are plentiful and thoroughly thrilling. The extended opening act in Matera is stunning, going out of its way to deliver Daniel Craig's best car chase as Bond. The shoot-out at SPECTRE's hidden-in-plain-sight Cuban club is amusing, particularly as Ana de Armas' Palmoa shows off her considerable skills while sharing delightful banter with Craig's Bond. The battle in the Norwegian forest that leads into the final act of the picture is one the most visceral sequences in Craig's tenure only to be blown away towards the end of the film by a nerve-racking one-take gun fight in supervillain Safin's island lair.

The film's score by the ever-prolific Hans Zimmer packs a few pleasant surprises. Delivering all of the customary bombast of Zimmer's trademark style, it references David Arnold's theme for Vesper Lynd from Casino Royale in one key moment and, more astoundingly, majestic renditions of John Barry's theme for On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Louis Armstrong's "We Have All The Time In The World" (with the original song in all its glory playing at one point during the end credits), thematically bridging that devastatingly fatalistic Bond film effectively with this one.

Unlike some of the lackluster final performances from other prominent James Bond actors, for his last appearance in the role, the fully-committed Daniel Craig clearly gives it his all. Both physically and emotionally intense as ever, Craig makes exits the role with an impressively strong and versatile performance, bringing humor, rage, joy and, ultimately, an unshakable sense of resignation. Returning to the previously underdeveloped role of Madeleine Swann, Léa Seydoux also gives a praiseworthy nuanced performance, this time with arc as a woman harboring painful secrets in love with a man who seems incapable of trust. As the visually striking antagonist Lyutsifer Safin, Rami Malek is utterly fascinating despite the character's criminally limited screen time. As Nomi, the current the 007, Lashana Lynch is boundlessly charismatic and absolutely convincing as a take on the seductive, deadly, no-nonsense secret agent that somehow feels cut from the classic mold but also new and fresh at the same time. Returning players Jeffrey Wright, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, and Christoph Waltz respectively reprising the roles of Leiter, M, Moneypenney, Q, Tanner, and Blofeld make up a stacked, absurdly talented supporting cast that's further bolstered by Ana de Armas in what amounts to an extended by memorable cameo appearance as the Cuban CIA agent Paloma, French-Algerian actor Dali Benssalah making for a formidable recurring foe as Primo, Billy Magnussen appropriately obnoxious as the insufferably cheery Logan Ash, David Dencik as persistent cockroach of a scientist Valdo Obruchev, and young Lisa-Dorah Sonnet playing the secret emotional core of the story.

Emotionally exhausting but reasonably satisfying, No Time To Die gives Daniel Craig's iteration of James Bond a proper definitive ending for better or worse. Unlike any Bond picture before it, this installment provides resounding closure for the iconic secret agent and all of the pathos that comes with an ending of this nature. By no means for the uninitiated, longtime Bond series fans should find a lot to love about this one if they are willing to embrace the sometimes questionable serialized format of Craig's 007 films and if they can spare nearly three hours to indulge in the picture's extended run time.

THE COLD OPEN
The longest pre-credits sequence for any Bond film, Madeleine Swann's origin story (extrapolated from a few lines of dialogue in Spectre) and the lengthy prologue in Matera that culminates with a stunning action sequence more in line with a standard Bond cold open are separately engaging but the pacing of the film perhaps could have benefited from the Madeleine's backstory being moved to later in the film or cut entirely.

THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Billie Eilish's "No Time To Die" is a stirring, mournful ballad that fits Craig's Bond perfectly, effectively conveying his inability to trust and to love. Daniel Kleinman's title sequence itself starts with a nod to the Dr. No opening titles with neat now-retro circle graphics, eventually shifting to stylized imagery touting a clock motif that prove to be competent but not particularly memorable considering Kleinman's past work on the series.

THE BOND GIRL
A first for the series, Dr. Madeleine Swann returns as the primary love interest though her presence is absolutely welcome and proves to be essential. Madeleine receives the characterization she deserved but was not afforded in Spectre, this time totally convincing as the woman with the potential to change Bond's life. Her key revelation late in the film truly changes everything, in turn revealing a more tender side of Bond never before seen. In another film Paloma perhaps would have been the Bond girl but spending more time with Madeleine and exploring what makes her tick certainly works out for the best.

THE BOND VILLAIN
Lyutsifer Safin ticks all of the boxes of the Bond villain checklist. Unusual physical deformity, diabolical homicidal scheme, mostly impractical secret lair, utterly ridiculous name. Unfortunately, besides serving as an obstacle in Bond's way, one final enemy to deal with, there isn't much to his character besides a vendetta against SPECTRE, a mad scheme to "cleanse the world," and an obsession with Madeleine. He perhaps would have been more impressive if he had a larger "poison garden."

FEATURED HENCHMAN
Primo with his prosthetic eye isn't the most memorable henchman but he certainly is one of the most tenacious. From the moment he takes off his shades in the cold open to his epic death punctuated with Craig's final Bond one-liner, Primo and his crazy eyes simply refused to go down until he was truly dead.

BEST GADGET
Not a Bond gadget from Q branch but the elaborate portable magnet system Safin's henchmen use when abducting Obruchev is quite nifty.

FLEMING FIDELITY
Safin's "poison garden" is a reworking of Blofeld's "Garden of Death" from Ian Fleming's 1964 James Bond novel You Only Live Twice. In the novel, Bond infiltrates the garden where suicidal people go to die in order to face Blofeld one last time. In the same novel, Bond strangles Blofeld to death, similar to how Blofeld meets his demise in this film.

FRAGMENTS
- Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas previously appeared together in Rian Johnson's Knives Out

- During the film's last act, Ralph Fiennes's M sits by portraits of previous incarnations of M played by Robert Brown and Judy Dench

- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Lashana Lynch (Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and The Marvels)

Spectre

SPECTRE
2015 | Dir. Sam Mendes | 148 Minutes

"You're a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond."

James Bond follows up on a lead left behind by the late M and discovers a sinister secret organization. In order to locate and confront the evil mastermind, Bond must protect the daughter of a past enemy. Meanwhile, the future of MI6 is threatened by the arrogant head of the Joint Intelligence Service.

Directly following Skyfall, Sam Mendes' Spectre is a decidedly less daring, less engaging picture by comparison. Constructing a cohesive continuity within Daniel Craig's James Bond films is an intriguing idea but the culmination of the ongoing story in Spectre leaves much to be desired. The return of the ultimate Bond nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld is disappointingly mishandled as the screenwriters predictably cast Blofeld in the role of puppet master behind the primary antagonists from the last three films while needlessly giving him a personal motivation for specifically targeting Bond that borders on nonsensical. The side plot that once again questions MI6's place in the modern world would have been interesting, if somewhat redundant, had it not been completely undercut by the fact the dissenting voice this time around is SPECTRE in disguise.

Visually, Spectre is a dark and flat picture. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema makes the stylistic choice to frame the picture dead center on the subject for the majority of his shots, burning out all sense of drama from any given scene. The secret meeting in Rome is a prime example, quickly coming across as more of an eye-straining slog than a tense and unpredictable sequence.

With the exception of the excellent cold open set in Mexico City, the action scenes are fine if somewhat standard. Highlights include a nighttime car chase in Rome with a few comedic flourishes that would have been fitting in the Roger Moore era, an elaborate destructive pursuit sequence in the Austrian Alps, and an intense brawl between Bond and gigantic strongman Mr. Hinx onboard a train. The climatic action sequence in the bombed out remains of the former MI6 headquarters is disappointingly rote and uninspired, amounting to Bond being presented with an impossible choice that quickly proves to be far from impossible.

Daniel Craig confidently takes on the role of James Bond for the fourth time and he remains consistently great in the part even if the writing is noticeably weak for this installment. As love interest Madeleine Swann, Léa Seydoux is convincingly headstrong and subtly vulnerable, exhibiting a deep-seated world-weariness that is difficult to quantify. Craig and Seydoux are excellent performers but they share very little on screen chemistry and the romance at the core of the picture simply doesn't work. Though the script doesn't do him any favors, casting Christoph Waltz in the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld is an inspired choice and he makes the most of the hand he was dealt, demonstrating a believably menacing intelligence in spite of the absurdity of the material. The film also features Dave Bautista delivering a fun performance as the skillful sadistic brute Mr. Hinx, Andrew Scott appropriately irritating as Joint Intelligence Service head Max Denbigh, and Monica Bellucci as the tormented widow of a SPECTRE operative. Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, and Rory Kinnear return as M, Moneypenny, Q, and Bill Tanner, each with a bit more to do than in Skyfall, while Jesper Christensen delivers a brief but harrowing performance reprising the role of Mr. White. A welcome sight, Judi Dench also makes a cameo appearance as the former M.

While it is ostensibly a competently constructed action film, Spectre falls well below the high standard set by Skyfall. The picture ties together all of Daniel Craig's James Bond films a little too neatly, not quite cleverly, and the major plot revelations it offers fall completely flat. It isn't necessarily one of the worst Bond pictures but frustratingly it could have been a much better installment considering how it has all the right pieces.


THE COLD OPEN
The elaborate Mexico City Day of the Dead action sequence is truly excellent, really one of the best cold open sequences of the entire franchise. The helicopter stunt is a real show stopper. It's a gripping, well-paced action sequence that the rest of the picture fails to match.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" is overproduced and somewhat dull, a weepy dirge of a tune. Though it is arguably one of the weaker James Bond theme songs, it is the second song from the series to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song. However, Daniel Kleinman's opening title sequence is another winner, prominently featuring a foreboding octopus motif inspired by the SPECTRE insignia. The segment featuring a collage of eyes is chilling, while the segment with clips from past films is cheesy as hell.


THE BOND GIRL
Dr. Madeleine Swann is meant to be an ideal match for Bond, an intelligent and capable somewhat prickly woman who is no stranger to the violent world of her father Mr. White. Though she demonstrates that she can handle a gun and she saves Bond from certain death on more than one occasion, she is still relegated to the role of damsel in distress when she is first introduced and during the final act. Dr. Swann is last seen riding off with Bond in his Aston Martin at the end of the picture, Bond having chosen her over revenge and continued employment with MI6, but nothing suggests their relationship will last any longer than Bond's previous romances.


THE BOND VILLAIN
Reintroducing Blofeld as Bond's adoptive brother Franz Oberhauser, and tying his villainous origin to Bond childhood is an unfortunate mistake. This new Blofeld is motivated simply by murderous jealousy, committing patricide and taking on his mother's name simply because his father took a liking to Bond. While he has the trademark white Persian, the proclivity to place Bond in an impractical death trap only to have him escape, and even the disfiguring facial scar by the final act of the film, Blofeld's forced connection to Bond makes him far less intriguing than previous incarnations of the quintessential Bond villain.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
The massive taciturn Mr. Hinx is cut from the same mold as Oddjob and Jaws, a sadistic killer with a quirky gimmick - a set of metal thumb nails he uses to gouge out the eyes of a rival when he is first introduced. Hinx encounters Bond three times in the film, presented as a nigh indestructible opponent. Despite speaking only once - he curses just as he is dragged by the neck by a half dozen kegs out of the cargo door of a speeding train, he exudes a surprising amount of personality.


BEST GADGET
The exploding wristwatch is classic Bond movie trope put to excellent use in stopping another time-honored Bond movie trope: the impractical death trap.


FLEMING FIDELITY
The secret organization SPECTRE and its leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld were first introduced in Ian Fleming's eighth James Bond novel Thunderball first published in 1961. Hannes Oberhauser was introduced as Bond's childhood skiing instructor and father figure in Fleming's short story Octopussy first published in 1966.


MCCLORY'S SPECTRE
Written to be the first Bond film, author Ian Fleming collaborated with Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham on the initial screenplay for Thunderball. Losing faith in McClory's cinematic vision for Bond, Fleming repurposed the story and used it for his eighth Bond novel published in 1961. McClory and Whittingham sued Fleming, and the case was settled out of court resulting in McClory gaining the literary and film rights for the screenplay. McClory is credited as a producer for Thunderball and eventually produced the awful 1983 Taliafilm remake Never Say Never Again featuring a spiteful Sean Connery as Bond. In 2013, MGM formally acquired the complete film rights for the concept of SPECTRE from the McClory estate as well as all of the characters associated with the organization, paving the way for Spectre to reincorporate the evil organization and Bond's arch-nemesis Blofeld into Eon Productions' James Bond film franchise.


FRAGMENTS
- Gary Oldman was approached for the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld

- Christoph Waltz and Léa Seydoux previously appeared together in Inglourious Basterds

- Bond, Moneypenny, Tanner, and M meet in London at a safe house disguised as the business "Hildebrand Prints & Rarities", an homage to the Ian Fleming's short story The Hildebrand Rarity first published in Playboy magazine in March 1960

- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Dave Bautista (Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

Skyfall

SKYFALL
2012 | Dir. Sam Mendes | 143 Minutes

"Some men are coming to kill us. We're going to kill them first."

Missing and presumed dead after a failed mission, a weary James Bond returns to service in response to a devastating attack on MI6 headquarters. Unhinged former MI6 agent Raoul Silva seeks revenge against M for disavowing and leaving him for dead years ago. To counter Silva's ruthless tactics, Bond must utilize unconventional methods to protect M.

Sam Mendes' Skyfall is a contemplative, stylish, atmospheric, and visually stunning James Bond film, a nearly flawless film in virtually every level. Between every death-defying confrontation, the narrative directly questions the value of Bond's loyalty to M and the service, the toll Bond's violent work takes on his physical and psychological health, and the relevance of MI6 and necessity for its continued existence in the modern world. Impressively,  the movie also manages to honor the franchise's long history by reintroducing and simultaneously reinventing several of the series' key characters and tropes in innovative and unexpected ways.

While Skyfall is a thoughtful picture, it is also appropriately a fantastic action film with exciting stunt work and memorable set pieces. Courtesy of legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, every single frame of the picture is a sight to behold. The epic pre-credits chase sequence is among the best, and unlike so many lesser Bond films, it only gets better from that point - a stunning neon-lit fight to the death between Bond and an enemy operative in a Shanghai skyscraper, a thrilling foot chase in the London Underground leading to a suspenseful courtroom shootout, the explosive climatic battle pitting Bond, an elderly gamekeeper, and M against Silva and his army of hired killers at Bond's dilapidated ancestral home - nearly every action sequence is bolstered by escalating danger and elevated personal stakes, for once serving the plot instead of the other way around.

Daniel Craig is at his very best in his third appearance as James Bond, delivering a powerful quietly emotional performance as a jaded damaged action hero ravaged by time. In her final featured appearance as M, Judi Dench gives her very best performance in the role, completely embodying the nobility of a leader who refuses to retire while her past mistakes are running amok, ever willing to stand up for what's right in spite of any damage sustained by her reputation. The dynamic between Craig's Bond and Dench's M has never been stronger and it effectively carries the final act of the film. As the deranged Raoul Silva, Javier Bardem is both completely captivating and absolutely terrifying, believably portraying a twisted man who is capable of anything. Ola Rapace is convincingly brutal as Silva's gun for hire Patrice. Bérénice Marlohe is thanklessly tasked with playing Silva's doomed mistress Sévérine, a stock Bond film character type that makes an unfortunate return. Albert Finney amusingly portrays the cranky Scottish Skyfall estate gamekeeper Kincade. The film also features Rory Kinnear returning as as MI6 Chief of Staff Bill Tanner, Ralph Fiennes as Intelligence and Security Committee chairman Gareth Mallory, Naomie Harris as MI6 field agent Eve, and Ben Whishaw as a modern take on Q.

Skyfall is one of the very best pictures of Eon Productions' James Bond film series. Featuring a thoughtful plot that places dire stakes on the line for both 007 and MI6, the feature is as dramatically serious as a Bond picture can possibly be while it is also ranks among the franchise's most entertaining installments. The film impressively deconstructs and reconstructs the status quo of the series, honoring what came before with genuine reverence while paving the way for thrilling possibilities going forward.


THE COLD OPEN
The intense highly-destructive Istanbul chase sequence is simply riveting. The tonal balance is perfect in execution, from the broad humor of Bond pulverizing a trio of VW Beetles in an excavator to the high drama of M ordering Eve to take an impossible shot. The fact that Bond takes a bullet ending the mission in failure sets the stage for an emotionally unpredictable ride.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Adele's "Skyfall" is at least as good as Shirley Bassey's best Bond theme songs. It's perhaps the best Bond theme song ever, the first Bond theme song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a soulful ballad with lyrics that gracefully thematically reference the plot of the film, rather than literally. Daniel Kleinman's fantastic opening titles once again break the tradition of flaunting seductive female figures, instead diving into Bond's psyche prominently featuring abstract representations of Bond's mortality and the titular abandoned family estate as well as sparing depictions of the female form.


THE BOND GIRL
The latest in a long line of women Bond fails to protect, Sévérine is perhaps best seen as a reminder of all those who came before and perhaps a plot point foreshadowing M's ultimate fate. Her tragic backstory as a sex slave just makes it even more depressing when Silva guns her down to demoralize Bond in a twisted meaningless game. In the end, she is woefully underwritten and indisputably the weakest aspect of the film.


THE BOND VILLAIN
While Bond villains conceived to be dark reflections of Bond have been done before, none have been quite as chilling or intriguing as Raoul Silva. M's favorite agent until he disobeyed her orders and she disavowed and abandoned him, his customary Bond villain physical deformity is rather grotesque, a severely mutilated mouth and face are concealed by a sophisticated prosthesis, the result of a failed suicide attempt by cyanide when he was captured by the enemy. Silva's scheme to expose the identities of every secret agent in the world is in actuality secondary to his plot to take M's life and to end his own. Eccentric, flamboyant, and sexually fluid, one of the most entertaining moments in the film is when hits on Bond with Bond responding in kind.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
Patrice doesn't have much of a personality to speak of but he makes for a formidable opponent in the cold open and in the spectacular Shanghai skyscraper fight. These two memorable sequences alone elevate Patrice's placement among the all-time great Bond henchmen.


BEST GADGET
The tricked out Aston Martin DB5 is as cool as it was in Goldfinger. M's quip about it being an uncomfortable ride is hilarious and Bond's response to its destruction during the climactic showdown with Silva's men is amusingly emotional.


FLEMING FIDELITY
Bond's Scottish heritage and his father's name, Andrew Bond, are sourced from Bond's obituary in Ian Fleming's eleventh James Bond novel You Only Live Twice first published in 1964. Sévérine's death scene is inspired by a similar moment depicted in Ian Fleming's twelfth and final James Bond novel The Man with the Golden Gun first published in 1965.


FRAGMENTS
- The role of Kincade was originally written with Sean Connery in mind but producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were unable to convince Connery to come out of retirement to make the surprise cameo appearance

- Following the gun barrel sequence, at the top of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return" below the logo commemorating the 50th anniversary Eon Productions' James Bond film franchise

Quantum of Solace

QUANTUM OF SOLACE
2008 | Dir. Marc Forster | 106 Minutes

"When you can't tell your friends from your enemies, it's time to go."

When a double agent within MI6 allows Mr. White to escape from custody, Bond discovers the traitor's connection to Dominic Greene, environmentalist entrepreneur and head of the nefarious secret organization Quantum. Greene plans to broker a deal with a corrupt general to seize control of the Bolivia's water supply. Bond partners with Bolivian agent Camille Montes, both driven by revenge against Greene and the general respectively.

While Marc Forster's Quantum of Solace is a direct sequel to Casino Royale, its opening moments occurring just minutes after the end of the previous film, the plot of the picture is woefully thin and underwritten. The narrative serves only to close out Bond's character arc established in the previous film instead of allotting him a fresh one, conceptually robbing the film of its ability to stand on its own. While the filmmakers provide Bond with a dramatic foil in the form of the vengeful Camille, the story doesn't have anything particularly interesting to say about revenge. The villains still end up dead while the heroes carry on without learning anything profound about the nature vengeance.

To make matters worse, as Quantum of Solace rolls through the dizzying cold open car chase followed by the first major choppy action sequence in Siena, Italy, it becomes clear that this entry's action direction is marred by ugly rough editing. While elaborately staged, particularly the opera house sequence and the climactic battle in the desert hotel, the action sequences are physically difficult to watch due to unnecessarily frenetic camera work and needless quick cutting. Any impressive stunt work performed for the picture is completely undermined by thoroughly poor presentation.

Daniel Craig once again fully commits to the role of James Bond, stunts and all, the action scenes clearly taking more of a physical toll during this second round. It's a shame that it doesn't translate more onto the screen as the camera work is so shoddy. Capably playing equal parts tough and vulnerable, Olga Kurylenko is convincing as the headstrong Camille Montes. Mathieu Amalric delivers the right amount of sleaze as human slime Dominic Greene while Anatole Taubman plays his henchman Elvis perhaps only memorable for having a stupid-looking haircut. Joaquín Cosío is appropriately despicable as the secondary villain General Medrano. Judi Dench makes her sixth appearance as M, while Giancarlo Giannini and Jesper Christensen return as René Mathis and Mr. White respectively. The indispensable Jeffrey Wright has the honor of being the only actor to play Felix Leiter in two consecutive Bond films. The film also features Rory Kinnear as M's aide Bill Tanner, Gemma Arterton making a strong charming impression as doomed MI6 agent Fields, and David Harbour as smarmy CIA section chief for South America Gregg Beam.

Quantum of Solace fails to satisfy as a stand alone picture. It is designed to serve more as an extended coda to Casino Royale, but it pales in comparison to that vastly superior Bond film. While it isn't awful, the feature is an odd underdeveloped misfire that doesn't offer anything significantly new or interesting.


THE COLD OPEN
The car chase that kicks off the film immediately gives the audience a sample of the questionable herky-jerky style of the picture's action direction. The inherent thrill of having a Bond picture open immediately where the previous one left off is pissed away as soon as you realize you can't tell what the hell you're looking at for more than a few seconds.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Jack White and Alicia Keys' "Another Way To Die" is an interesting sonic experiment that never quite comes together. While the tune isn't terrible, their respective distinct styles simply don't mesh very well and the song just doesn't deliver. Composer David Arnold wrote "No Good About Goodbye" for classic Bond theme song singer Shirley Bassey and even works the tune of that song into the score for Quantum of Solace and though it was purportedly never in consideration to serve as the theme song for the film, it would've been a much better fit. The opening title sequence provided by graphic design company MK12 is quite impressive, energetically presenting Bond and the standard abstract feminine figures with an sandy desert motif.


THE BOND GIRL
Camille is the first female lead character of the franchise to be written more as a foil and decidedly not a love interest for Bond. General Medrano murdered her family when she was a child, providing her with her tragic backstory and quest for revenge. Unfortunately, aside from these details, there isn't much more to her character. As capable as she proves to be throughout the picture, Bond still has to rescue her from the burning hotel during the fiery climax of the film as her past trauma disappointingly completely paralyzes her. Two steps forward, one step back for what it's worth, I suppose.


THE BOND VILLAIN
Dominic Greene fits the mold of the standard Bond villain, a megalomaniacal magnate with a diabolical scheme. The problem is that he is far from menacing, more of a irritating nuisance than a convincing threat. In the grand scheme of the series, he hardly registers as anything more than a scoundrel driven by simple greed. The fact that he isn't even afforded and on-screen death says it all.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
Elvis kind of sucks and is far from memorable. His one moment to shine is Fields sending him down a flight of stairs. Though he is more of a secondary villain than a henchman, General Medrano is a notable adversary that deserves to be mentioned as much as Dominic Greene. He's a lecherous sadistic bastard that gets a much more satisfying death scene than the main villain of the film.


FLEMING FIDELITY
The title of the film is taken from Ian Fleming's short story Quantum of Solace first published in Cosmopolitan magazine in 1959. In the short story, a governor recounts the failed marriage between a British civil servant and an unfaithful flight attendant who settle down in Bermuda. Eventually, the man abandons his cheating wife in Bermuda with all of his financial debts, having cut all emotional ties with her when their "Quantum of Solace" dropped to zero. Bond's confrontation with Vesper's boyfriend in the film's epilogue is based on Fleming's short story 007 in New York first published in the New York Herald Tribune in 1963, in which Bond warns a female MI6 employee that her boyfriend is a KGB agent.


FRAGMENTS
- Produced during the writer's strike, director Marc Forster and Daniel Craig came up with much of the picture's story while filming with a bare bones script; Daniel Craig vowed that he would never perform in a picture with an incomplete script ever again

- Pre-Fast and Furious, Gal Gadot auditioned for the part of Camille Montes

- Pre-Game of Thrones, Oona Chaplin appears briefly as the hotel receptionist that General Medrano assaults in the last act

- Friends of Marc Forster, Alfonso Cuarón cameo appearance as a helicopter pilot and Guillermo del Toro provided additional voices for the film

- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"


MCU CONNECTIONS
- David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov in Black Widow)

- Olga Kurylenko (Antonia Dreykov in Black Widow)

Casino Royale

CASINO ROYALE
2006 | Dir. Martin Campbell | 144 Minutes

"So you want me to be half-monk, half-hitman."

On his first mission as a 00 Agent for MI6, James Bond prevents the bombing of an airliner commissioned by private banker to terrorists and notorious gambler Le Chiffre in an attempt to profit by betting against the aerospace company in the stock market. The banker attempts to recuperate the funds he lost in a high-stakes card game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. M subsequently orders Bond to bankrupt the Le Chiffre at the casino and take him into MI6 custody.

Directing his second James Bond feature following the phenomenally entertaining GoldenEye, Martin Campbell's Casino Royale is a more polished, better-paced, even stronger film. The twenty-first picture of Eon Productions' James Bond franchise radically resets the tonal trajectory of the series, trading broad gimmicks and over-the-top gadgets for genuinely engaging dramatic stakes with an emphasis on grounded practical stunt work. Between the truly superb set pieces, troubled love interest Vesper Lynd questions how Bond's occupation erodes away his humanity, compellingly presenting much more meaningful introspection for the character than ever before. The character of Bond is redefined as more of a blunt weapon than a suave precision instrument, prone to violence and brash decision-making, carrying out his duty with extreme prejudice more to selfishly satisfy his own ego than to serve Queen and Country.

From the brutal brawl before the opening credits to the literally breathtaking finale in Venice, Casino Royale delivers exhilarating action from top to bottom. Stand-out sequences include an intense parkour chase through a construction site in Madagascar, an explosive high speed pursuit across the tarmac at Miami International Airport, and a bloody knock-down drag-out fight in a stairway at the Hotel Splendide. The uniformly excellent cinematography and editing perfectly capture every thrilling moment. Perhaps the most impressive feat of the picture is that the filmmakers even manage to imbue the poker scenes with palpable tension combining excellent performances with clever staging.

Daniel Craig's debut James Bond performance is a revelation, bringing a convincing harder edge as well as subtle vulnerability to the quintessential secret agent, crafting a well-rounded character that is truly a welcome departure from previous takes on 007. Eva Green is mesmerizing as Vesper Lynd, exuding sharp intelligence and a sort of quiet torment that tragically culminates in the film's final act, her onscreen chemistry with Craig's Bond is off the charts. In one of his finest roles, character actor Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre is chilling, somewhat pitiful but delightfully creepy. French freerunner Sébastien Foucan is absolutely mind-blowing, demonstrating his considerable parkour skills as the bomb-maker Mollaka in his brief but memorable appearance. Claudio Santamaria as the crafty terrorist operative Carlos is considerably less impressive by comparison. Simon Abkarian is perfectly slimy as Le Chiffre's petulant associate Alex Dimitrios while Caterina Murino is appropriately alluring as his doomed wife Solange. Judi Dench returns as M, amusingly somehow sterner than before, and Jeffrey Wright is the seventh and best actor so far to fill the role of Bond's CIA ally Felix Leiter for Eon Productions. The film also features Giancarlo Giannini as smooth-talking French MI6 agent René Mathis, Jesper Christensen as the mysterious Mr. White, and Tobias Menzies as M's assistant Villiers.

Casino Royale is one of the very best pictures of Eon's storied James Bond franchise. Stylish, suspenseful, action-packed, and even slightly meditative, Daniel Craig's first Bond film confidently refreshes the very idea of 007, appealing to contemporary sensibilities by discarding more problematic aspects of the series while still remaining surprisingly faithful to its source material.


THE COLD OPEN
Presented in striking black and white, Bond confronts corrupt MI6 Prague section chief Dryden in his office as he recalls his brutal drawn-out fight to the death with the Dryden's contact. Killing his second target with relative ease, Bond gains 00 status, immediately establishing Daniel Craig's Bond as a colder, rougher take on 007. Working the iconic gun barrel shot as Bond shoots Dryden's contact to transition the cold open into the opening titles is simply sublime.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Grunge rocker Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name" may not be among the most celebrated Bond theme song but its aggressive uptempo style is tonally fitting for Casino Royale. Daniel Kleinnman's opening title sequence also presents a appealing departure from previous introductions featuring stylized abstract male figures in combat, in stark contrast to the series' standard of seductive feminine shapes, constructed from imagery inspired by playing card and casino imagery.


THE BOND GIRL
Vesper Lynd carries the dubious honor of being the source of Bond's dysfunctional attitude towards women. Fortunately, Vesper is more than a one-dimensional desirable object. When clashing with Bond verbally, she gives as good as she gets, constantly challenging Bond's methods and disposition with valid logical arguments. Bond is so stricken with Vesper, he nearly leaves MI6 to be with her, and even invents a drink and names it after her. The shock and heartbreak of her betrayal is enough to install an indefinite emotional detachment to women in Bond's psyche.


THE BOND VILLAIN
Le Chiffre is a relatively simple but still fascinating adversary. His customary Bond villain deformity alone is memorable, a health condition that causes him to occasionally bleed out of his left eye. A compulsive gambler in charge of financing terrorist activities for a mysterious criminal organization, his diabolical schemes are small-time when compared to other cinematic 007 antagonists but his methods are remarkably nasty: attempting to bomb a massive jet for profit, poisoning Bond in the middle of the poker tournament, and whipping a captured Bond's genitals demanding his bank account's password after Bond bests him at the card table. It's somewhat unfortunate that Le Chiffre meets a rather unceremonious end, shot in the head by Mr. White.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
Ill-tempered and generally despicable, Alex Dimitrios is just irritating enough for it to feel satisfying when Bond wins his Aston Martin in a hand of poker, woos his beautiful wife, and ultimately kills him silently in the middle of the Body Worlds exhibition at Miami International Airport but not unique enough to be notably memorable. The ultimate middle manager, his underlings, bomb-making parkour master Mollaka and resilient operative Carlos, are much more formidable adversaries by comparison.


BEST GADGET
One of the most practical gadgets of the series, the compact government-issue defibrillator plays a vital part in the memorable poisoning sequence.


FLEMING FIDELITY
While the first half of the film is comprised of original material, the plot of the second half is remarkably faithful to Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel Casino Royale published in 1953. The screenwriters made only a handful of changes to modernize the story. In the novel, Le Chiffre is an accountant for a branch of Soviet counterintelligence agency SMERSH who loses SMERSH's money by investing it in brothels just before a general prostitution ban, the card game featured in the novel is baccarat, and Vesper's suicide is by sleeping pill overdose.


FRAGMENTS
- There are two prior screen versions of Casino Royale: an Americanized adaptation for CBS television program Climax! starring Barry Nelson as James "Jimmy" Bond aired in 1952, and a loose comedy film adaptation starring Peter Sellers made without the involvement of Eon Productions released in 1967

- Madame Wu, The poker player who appears onboard Le Chiffre's yacht and at the tournament in Montenegro is played by Tsai Chin who previously appeared as the undercover MI6 agent Ling in the cold open of You Only Live Twice

- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"

Die Another Day

DIE ANOTHER DAY
2002 | Dir. Lee Tamahori | 133 Minutes

"Let's just say my relationships don't seem to last."

James Bond is captured by North Korea during a mission, betrayed by an unknown double-agent within MI6. Released in exchange for a villainous North Korean agent, Bond defies M's orders, escapes MI6 custody, and hunts for the mole. Going rogue, 007 teams up with NSA operative Jinx to uncover a sinister plot devised by British millionaire Gustav Graves.

Objectively, director Lee Tamahori's Die Another Day is the worst picture of Eon Productions' flagship franchise. The action sequences are somehow simultaneously over-the-top and uninspired, the editing is jarringly choppy, the visual effects are technically shoddy, the dialogue is overloaded with cheese, and the plot is thoroughly absurd. Despite enduring a ludicrously stylized torture sequence at the top of the film, Bond carries on as a nigh invulnerable, ostensibly infallible protagonist effortlessly romancing beautiful women and defeating his enemies without plausible struggle or dramatic tension. Sauntering her way through the feature, Jinx isn't much better, created to be Bond's equal but sexually objectified and constantly rescued by Bond all the same. Devoid of the pathos and drama of the best Bond films, this installment ironically makes a strong argument that James Bond is no longer relevant as a viable cinematic action hero.

The set pieces are mostly hilariously awful. The hovercraft chase through the Korean Demilitarized Zone minefield at the start of the film and the confrontation with Zao at the Cuban gene therapy clinic are overall serviceable but everything that follows is thoroughly terrible. The fencing duel between Bond and Graves escalates to preposterous levels. The climactic battle onboard Graves' cargo plane is beyond silly, full of corny slo-mo and cheap-looking visual effects. The absolute worst action sequences all take place in Graves' visually unappealing ice palace. The invisible Aston Martin chase is silly enough but Bond surfing a massive tidal wave to safety indisputably takes the prize for the most absurd moment of the entire series.

Even for such a mediocre installment, Pierce Brosnan does his best with the material. It's just a shame that he ends his run as 007 with this atrocity. Halle Berry looks like she's having the time of her life as Jinx, a role that requires none of her esteemed acting talent. Toby Stephens scowls his way through the part of arch-villain Gustav Graves, his performance somehow more shameful after the late-film reveal that he's essentially playing a Korean man playing an Englishman. As the traitorous Miranda Frost, the versatile Rosamund Pike in her feature film debut is mostly ridiculous going from emotionally-detached MI6 agent to awkwardly evil baddie. Rick Yune chews all sorts of scenery as Graves' prime henchman Tang Ling Zao but he's at least more memorable than Michael Gorevoy as Graves' personal scientist and Lawrence Makoare as non-descript muscle Mr. Kil. Michael Madsen sleepwalks his way through his brief role Jinx's NSA boss Damian Falco, while legendary Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang's considerable talents are wasted on the part of the relatively noble General Moon. Judi Dench returns as M while Samantha Bond, John Cleese, and Colin Salmon make their final appearances as Moneypenny, Q, M's Deputy Chief of Staff Charles Robinson.

Pierce Brosnan's turn as James Bond ends with a colossal dud. Die Another Day represents all of the excesses of the film series in the very worst way. It is dreadfully, hilariously bad, more or less serving as a blueprint for what a modern Bond film shouldn't be.


THE COLD OPEN
The cold open is arguably the most plausible, least embarrassing part of the film. Bond's mission in North Korea is compromised after his cover is blown by an unknown source, later revealed to be Frost. He seemingly kills rogue North Korean Colonel Tan-Sun Moon played by Will Yun Lee but is captured by Moon's father the general.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
As Bond is tortured the North Koreans, Daniel Kleinman's opening titles break away from the boundaries of good taste, showing abstract manifestations of fire, ice, and electricity taking seductive female forms. Madonna's "Die Another Day" is pure techno trash, arguably the worst-fitting Bond theme song ever. Oddly, Madonna even makes a distracting cameo appearance in the film as Graves and Frost's fencing instructor Verity.


THE BOND GIRL
Though she is technically conceptually Bond's American equal, Jinx never quite measures up. Constantly objectified by the camera and her less-than-subtle sexually suggestive one-liners, she comes off as something of a parody of an old white screenwriter's idea of the ideal Bond love interest. She's got a ravenous sexual appetite like Bond but her dialogue is more foolish than sexy. She's resourceful and capable but she still needs Bond to rescue her. She's a skilled fighter but she can only defeat female villains, particularly the other woman Bond sleeps with in the narrative. It's a real blessing that Jinx's planned spin-off film never happened.


THE BOND VILLAIN
Gustav Graves is meant to be a twisted evil interpretation of James Bond, but the message is lost in the muddle of ice palaces, solar-powered space lasers, and North Korean aggression. The series already delivered a fine anti-Bond in GoldenEye and Graves pales in comparison. The fact that he is literally a genetically whitewashed Korean man adds an extra layer of unnecessary problematic discomfort.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
Tang Ling Zao, in his diamond-pocked incomplete genetically-altered glory, is perhaps best known for trying to out-quip Bond at every turn, more than any other henchman. He's got a memorable goofy/disturbing appearance but otherwise, he kind of sucks as a henchman, not even making it to the climatic battle.


BEST GADGET
The invisible Aston Martin is memorable for all the wrong reasons, just like the film itself. It remains arguably the most outlandish, implausible gadget of the series, more despised than the crocodile submarine.


FLEMING FIDELITY
Die Another Day was not inspired by or named after existing source material written by Ian Fleming.


FRAGMENTS
- Michelle Yeoh's Wai Lin from Tomorrow Never Dies was originally supposed to return to aid James Bond in Hong Kong but she was replaced by Chinese Intelligence Agent Chang played by Ho Yi

- While filming their love scene in Cuba, Pierce Brosnan perform the Heimlich maneuver on Halle Berry when she choked on a fig, saving her life

- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"

The World Is Not Enough

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
1999 | Dir. Michael Apted | 128 Minutes

"There's no point in living if you can't feel alive."

Ex-KGB terrorist Renard sends an assassin to murder oil tycoon Sir Robert King. M places James Bond on assignment to protect King's daughter Elektra. When Bond discovers Elektra and Renard are scheming to settle a personal vendetta against M and to cause a nuclear disaster for profit, he must save the head of MI6 and work together with a beautiful nuclear physicist to avert catastrophe.

Veteran director Michael Apted's The World Is Not Enough feels like a throwback to lesser entries of the James Bond film series, particularly the weaker pictures produced during Roger Moore's run as 007. The villains have interesting and relatively original motivations if not the most creative diabolical scheme. Elektra is among the most complex Bond villains to date. However, the driving narrative is noticeably weak. With seemingly nothing hidden under his surface-level cool detachment, Bond being tasked with rescuing M doesn't carry any palpable dramatic weight as he never seems personally invested in the mission, he just seems to be going through the motions in this one. It's a middling adventure that could have been more engaging considering the pieces in play.

The action sequences featured in The World Is Not Enough are good overall but fans of the series have seen better. The boat chase during the cold open and the escape from the sawing helicopters at the caviar factory are particularly great, and Brosnan even gets his customary James Bond skiing set piece in this one complete with the payoff of an over-the-top gadget. However, the pipeline sequence is a showcase of unconvincing special effects and the climatic fight in a cramped submarine is less than thrilling.

Pierce Brosnan effortlessly slips back into the role of James Bond in a film that unfortunately requires more physical commitment from him than his skills as an actor, playing a decidedly colder Bond. Sophie Marceau is captivating as the treacherous Elektra King, sharing good chemistry with seasoned character actor Robert Carlyle turing in a surprisingly imposing as the tormented madman Renard. Denise Richards is uniformly bland as Dr. Christmas Jones, sounding mechanical in much of her line delivery, yet another love interest for Bond who shares no romantic chemistry with Brosnan's Bond. Judi Dench makes her third appearance as M, showing a more vulnerable side of the character. Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen, and Colin Salmon also reprise their roles as Moneypenny, Bill Tanner, and M's Deputy Chief of Staff Charles Robinson respectively. Desmond Llewelyn makes his final memorable appearance in the series as Q alongside celebrated comedian John Cleese as Q's successor. Robbie Coltrane returns as Valentin Zukovsky, this time clearly having more fun with a bigger role in the story than in from GoldenEye and a decent death scene. The film also features John Seru as Elektra's loyal bodyguard Gabor, English rapper Goldie as Valentin's traitorous henchman Bullion, and Maria Grazia Cucinotta in a brief but memorable part as the assassin featured in the cold open.

The World Is Not Enough puts all of the weaknesses inherent in the standard formula of the James Bond franchise on full display. The most intriguing aspects of the plot are woefully underdeveloped while Bond makes his way through some decent action scenes to single-handedly save the day, and romance the one-dimensional pretty lady, without growing as a character in any discernible way. The whole experience is as disposable as a Bond film can be.


THE COLD OPEN
Opening with a Swiss bank caper in Spain before properly starting the story in England, this one's a bit long and takes a while to get to the good stuff. Despite the rather silly experimental boat Bond commandeers, the explosive chase sequence on the Thames is one of the top highlights of the film. Maria Grazia Cucinotta's nameless assassin is rather captivating despite her limited screen time.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Garbage's "The World Is Not Enough" is as catchy and cheesy as Bond theme songs get, going as far as working a key line of dialogue into its lyrics. Daniel Kleinman's opening title sequence featuring seductive female figures worked into abstract oil and fire imagery is slick but looks somewhat dated by modern CGI standards.


THE BOND GIRL
Dr. Christmas Jones is one of the worst love interests of the series, having little to no agency and absolutely no chemistry with Bond. She serves more as eye-candy than as a scientist throughout the picture. Even her name seems to be written for a tasteless joke to cap off the film.


THE BOND VILLAIN
The first female primary antagonist of the series, Elektra is actually pretty complex. Abducted by Renard for ransom money before the events of the film, she developed Stockholm Syndrome and a deep hatred for her father and M as her father denied Renard payment following M's guidance. Her scheme to destroy Istanbul to disrupt the only oil pipeline that rivals hers is relatively small-time for a Bond villain but she is the first go after M directly.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
A bit more than a henchman, and more or less a red herring, Renard's most interesting trait is his inability to feel pain courtesy of 009's failed attempt to kill him, lodging a bullet in his Medulla Oblongata. His twisted relationship with Elektra adds a bit more color to his disturbing characterization. Otherwise, he's one of the most run-of-the-mill villains of the series, motivated more by his devotion to Elektra than any grand philosophy.


BEST GADGET
The inflatable ski jacket that saves Bond and Elektra from an avalanche may not be the flashiest gadget ever but it is the most practical zanny gadget of the film.


FLEMING FIDELITY
The title of the film is taken from the Bond family motto introduced in Ian Fleming's tenth James Bond novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service published in 1963.


FRAGMENTS
- The home video release of the film is dedicated to Desmond Llewelyn who passed away soon after the picture was released

- Maria Grazia Cucinotta originally auditioned for the part of Elektra King

- At the top of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"

Tomorrow Never Dies

TOMORROW NEVER DIES
1997 | Dir. Roger Spottiswoode | 119 Minutes

"Great men have always manipulated the media to save the world. Look at William Randolph Hearst, who told his photographers, 'You provide the pictures, I'll provide the war.' I've just taken it one step further."

Media mogul Elliot Carver uses the technology and influence at his disposal to instigate war between the British and the Chinese. James Bond must team up with Chinese spy Wai Lin to expose Carver's plot and dispel tensions between their respective governments.

Tomorrow Never Dies is a fine action film with consistently thrilling set pieces and an inspired plot about the hidden agendas of unethical news media, exponentially heightened for entertainment value to be sure, but it never quite reaches the overall quality level of the classic James Bond pictures. Its presentation is more polished than its immediate predecessor, composer David Arnold delivers a film score that's on par with some of John Barry's best work, and Roger Spottiswoode does a fine job balancing action and sly humor. However, the film distractingly falters a bit at a few points, particularly when it comes to Bond's romantic escapes. The unnecessary forced drama between Bond and Carver's wife Paris falls flat - yet another former lover predictably disposed of to clumsily give Bond personal stakes in the mission. The loss of Paris hardly registers before Bond runs off with Wai Lin. The British and Chinese spies work incredibly well together as an action duo but there is virtually no romantic chemistry between the two. The underwater "kiss of life" and subsequent make out session at the end of the picture feel unearned.

The picture perhaps most memorably features a fun car chase in a parking garage with Bond remotely controlling a BMW decked out with all of the trademark 007 explosive gadgets with a cell phone. While the remote control BMW sequence is definitely amusing, the best action sequence is the chase through the streets, rooftops, and alley of Saigon as an attack helicopter pursues Bond and Wai Lin handcuffed to each other while driving a motorcycle. The film's only missed opportunity for even more exhilarating action is the inability of the filmmakers to organically capitalize on international action star Michelle Yeoh's considerable kung fu skills. The momentum of the film grinds to a halt for an awkwardly shot fight scene in a ramshackle bicycle shop after fantastic helicopter chase sequence.

Evidently completely comfortable in the role, Pierce Brosnan continues to exude natural charisma in his second film as James Bond. Michelle Yeoh is great as Wai Lin, absolutely believable as an attractive and ultra-capable Chinese spy, despite her lack of romantic chemistry with Brosnan. Though Elliot Carver may not be one of the most memorable Bond villains, Jonathan Pryce does a fine and convincing job as the megalomaniacal madman. As the jaded rather underwritten Paris Carver, Teri Hatcher is mostly fine giving a somewhat stock performance. Götz Otto plays the standard brawny henchman Richard Stamper without much panache, while character actor Vincent Schiavelli is much more intriguing in his one scene as torture expert Dr. Kaufman, and professional magician Ricky Jay just feels out of place as hacker Henry Gupta. Judi Dench and Samantha Bond return as M and Moneypenny, growing well into their respective parts, and Joe Don Baker appears again as the goofy CIA Agent Jack Wade. As fun as ever, Desmond Llewelyn makes his sixteenth appearance as Q. Colin Salmon makes his debut as M's Deputy Chief of Staff Charles Robinson.

Though it doesn't rank among the best films of the series, Tomorrow Never Dies is overall an entertaining and perfectly serviceable James Bond adventure. With great action and a good central villain with a rather contemporary diabolical scheme executed well, the picture is a solid entry in Pierce Brosnan's run as 007. Its clever premise becomes more plausible over time as media conglomerates continue to consolidate their power and flex their influence.


THE COLD OPEN
Not one of the best but having Bond disobey orders from an admiral to stand down, blowing up a black market weapons deal and preventing a nuclear disaster is a decent way to jump back into the world of 007.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Definitely carrying the swagger of a classic Bond tune, Sheryl Crow's "Tomorrow Never Dies" is as slick and stylish as Daniel Kleinman's kinetic opening title sequence featuring various digitally rendered images of suggestive feminine figures. Arguably the better song, k.d lang's "Surrender" written by David Arnold, which plays over the end credits, its tune prominently featured in the film's score, was originally intended to be the film's theme song.


THE BOND GIRL
Wai Lin is among the best Bond movie love interests despite having almost zero sexual chemistry with Bond. She's tough, resourceful, absolutely skilled in combat and, of course, beautiful. It would have been more interesting, if less acceptable at the time, for her to depicted just as Bond's platonic equal with no romantic connotations.


THE BOND VILLAIN
Elliot Carver is a heightened version of Rupert Murdoch though somehow less cartoonishly villainous in hindsight. As deep-fake videos and fact-bending grow in prominence, Carver's scheme and methodology seem less implausible and relatively quainter if anything.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
Richard Stamper is standard muscle despite his alleged talent for torture. He's not all that memorable though he is one of the few henchman with the honor of outliving their boss if only be a few minutes.


BEST GADGET
For better or worse, the remote control BMW is one of the most memorable gadgets of the series. While it may objectively seem over-the-top, it sure is fun and is becoming more plausible as automobile technology continues to evolve.


FLEMING FIDELITY
Tomorrow Never Dies is the first James Bond film not be be inspired by or even named after existing source material.


FRAGMENTS
- The film is dedicated to the memory of series producer Albert R. Broccoli who passed away in 1996

- The original title of this film was Tomorrow Never Lies

- Anthony Hopkins was originally cast as Elliot Carver but left the film after three days because the production was chaotic, carrying on without a completed shooting script

- Monica Bellucci auditioned for the part of Paris Carver; she eventually appears in Spectre as Lucia Sciarra

- A young Gerard Butler, at the start of his film career, appears as a Royal Navy seaman

- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Michelle Yeoh (Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Jiang Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)

GoldenEye

GOLDENEYE
1995 | Dir. Martin Campbell | 130 Minutes

"I might as well ask you if all the vodka martinis ever silenced the screams of all the men you've killed, or if you find forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women for all the dead ones you failed to protect."

In a post-Cold War world, James Bond faces off against a mysterious criminal organization bent on destroying London with a electro-magnetic pulse satellite weapon stolen from Russia. Bond discovers the mastermind behind the operation is the former 006, an old friend long-believed to be dead.

Director Martin Campbell's GoldenEye is a stylish action-packed reintroduction to James Bond that strikes the perfect balance between heightened drama and cheeky humor. Thematically, the film makes a strong case for the continued existence of 007 after the Cold War as the world faces new threats that require Bond's specific talents. However, the picture makes a point of showing how the world surrounding Bond has changed besides the dissolution of the Soviet Union, most noticeably its general attitude towards women. Bond now reports to a female M, one who has as little patience with Bond's recklessness as previous male Ms. The love interest constantly and rightfully calls Bond out for his uncaring bravado. The most capable killer working for the villain is a sadistic beauty who literally uses sex as a weapon. Intriguingly, though the meta-commentary is surface-level at best, for a handful of stand-out moments Bond's allies and enemies question his persistent character flaws.

GoldenEye is among the best examples of the franchise's hallmark of blending thrilling stunts, impressive special effects, and solid production design. The featured set pieces are genuinely fun and some of the most memorable and inspired of the series. The fantastically entertaining tank chase sequence through the streets of St. Petersburg may be the most iconic sequence of the film. Trevelyan's secret base in Cuba, the setting of the explosive climatic battle, is an fitting update to the customary elaborate Bond villain hideout. The GoldenEye EMP effects sequences hold up fairly well by contemporary cinematic standards. Considering every facet of the polished production, the only aspect that feels particularly dated is Éric Serra's cheesy industrial-synth-heavy score.

Pierce Brosnan is a perfect fit as James Bond, markedly more handsome than his predecessors, much more believable than Roger Moore as an action hero but decidedly less rugged than Timothy Dalton. Izabella Scorupco is convincing as the resourceful programmer and love interest Natalya Simonova though her forced Russian accent is pretty rough. Tortured supporting actor extraordinaire Sean Bean is excellent as Trevelyan, pitch perfect as a disillusioned dark reflection of Bond. Famke Janssen looks like she's having the time of her life as the sadistic underling Xenia Onatopp. Gottfried John is essentially a Russian caricature as the traitorous Commander Ourumov, though the look on his face as he takes a swig from a flask when he sees Bond chasing him in a tank is priceless. Of all the bad Russian stereotypes and horrible accents featured in the film, character actor Alan Cumming's portrayal of arrogant hacker Boris Grishenko borders on hate crime. Joe Don Baker, who previously appeared in The Living Daylights as arms dealer Brad Whitaker, phones it in as CIA Agent Jack Wade. Robbie Coltrane appears briefly in a memorable scene as ex-KGB gangster Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky while Minnie Driver makes a odd cameo appearance as his nightclub singer mistress Irina. Judi Dench makes her regal no-nonsense debut as M alongside Samantha Bond making a topical sexual harassment joke in her first appearance as Moneypenny and Michael Kitchen in his first appearance as Chief of Staff Bill Tanner. Desmond Llewelyn is entertaining as always in his fifteenth appearance as Q.

A slick and entertaining action film, GoldenEye effectively brings James Bond into the post-Cold War era with just a bit of introspection and many, many explosions. Pierce Brosnan's debut as 007 remains one of the indisputable high points of Eon Productions' signature franchise.


THE COLD OPEN
One of the best action sequences of the entire series from the bungee jumping stunt to the high-flying escape. It also serves as a solid introduction to Trevelyan and a coda to Bond's Cold War adventures. The way that Bond defies physics by somehow falling faster than the airplane to catch up with it is jarring but forgivable because the whole sequence is just so damn entertaining.


THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Tina Turner's "GoldenEye" written by Bono and the Edge is full of fabulous energy though the lyrics are somewhat confounding. Taking over for Maurice Binder, Daniel Kleinman's opening title sequence is striking, rife with imagery signifying the collapse of Soviet rule while still retaining the customary beautiful female figures of a James Bond intro.


THE BOND GIRL
Natalya Simonova is delightfully feisty and self-sufficient. Despite being captured and in need of rescue, she manages to appropriately criticize Bond for his arrogance and general lack of caring. As far as Bond love interests go, she is a significant step in the right direction in terms of overall characterization.


THE BOND VILLAIN
Alec Trevelyan represents everything despicable about Bond twisted into the form of an anti-British antagonist. He has all of Bond's skills as well as his overt sexual proclivities though demonstrated much less tastefully in how he harasses Simonova. His background as a Lienz Cossack orphan betrayed by the British government is an intriguing criticism of Western Cold War politics, giving him the proper motivation to turn against his former employers.


FEATURED HENCHMAN
Xenia Onatopp is ostensibly a bad joke turned deadly, taking great pleasure in crushing men between her thighs. Her lust for violence is comically out of control, turned on by mowing down unsuspecting programmers at the secret Siberian base and the prospect of experiencing a train wreck. She is sex and death personified.


BEST GADGET
The exploding pen is one of the most memorable gadgets of the series, though the payoff leaves more to be desired.


FLEMING FIDELITY
As an officer for British Naval Intelligence, author Ian Fleming was in charge of Operation Goldeneye, tasked with monitoring developments in Spain following the Spanish Civil War. Fleming named his house in Oracabessa, Jamaica after the operation and would write all of the James Bond novels there. The film is named after the Operation Goldeneye and Fleming's house, while the plot of the film is completely original.


FRAGMENTS
- Sean Bean previously auditioned for the role of James Bond in The Living Daylights

- GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64 released in 1997 is one of the very few objectively excellent video games based on a film, and arguably one of the best video games of all time overall

- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"